1. Formal and Informal Environmental Education of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (FIEE) J.L. Scott Marine Education Center Center for Science and Mathematics Education Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Shelia Brown, Sherry Herron, David Ruple Barrier Island Plant Habitat Features

2. Check out these plants and consider these questions: What environmental conditions are present? What adaptations do plants have to cope with these environmental conditions?

3. Abiotic conditions Wind-carried salt spray limits vegetative growth on frontal dunes to salt tolerant plants. Salt spray kills the exposed tips of less tolerant shrubs and trees on rear dunes causing a stunted and pruned appearance. Storm waves and overwash may uproot and wash away plants growing on frontal dunes.

4. Abiotic conditions Coarse sand quickly drains rainwater leaving a limited supply of fresh water for plants. Few soil nutrients are available to plants since little decaying matter accumulates. Intense sunlight reflected by the sand, in combination with constant winds, causes plants to dehydrate.

5. Abiotic conditions Extremes of hot and cold temperatures on exposed sand must be tolerated by the plants. High winds bury plants with sand or expose the roots. High winds may break or flatten standing plants.

6. Plant adaptations: Waxy, leathery or fleshy leaves resist salt damage and retain moisture. Hairs on leaves trap and retain moisture and resist salt spray. Inrolled leaves minimize dehydration by reducing surface area and preventing water loss from surface pores.

7. Plant adaptations: Leaves oriented in a vertical position during the day decrease the exposed surface to the sun. Leaves flattened against the sand withstand high winds and trap sand. Flexible stems and leaf blades withstand the winds without breaking. Succulent stems and leaves store water to tolerate desert like conditions.

8. Plant adaptations: Climbing or vine growth habits enable plants to hug dunes or other plants for support against strong winds. Extensive rhizome systems bind loose sand and prevent plants from washing away. Rhizomes continue growing if plants are buried by moving sand or if rhizomes become exposed to the air

9. Plant adaptations: Seeds, broken rhizomes and fragments of plants may be dispersed by water on the frontal dunes. Leaf stomata are sunken in to the epidermis and are closed during the day to prevent water loss.